Flow head with adjustable flow bean



Nov. 10, 1931. D.R. KNOWLTON 1,831,713

FLOW HEAD WITH ADJUSTABLE FLOW BEAN Filed April 20, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet1 gwoentcm Nov. 10, 1931. o. R. KNOWLTQN FLOW HEAD WITH ADJUSTABLE FLOWBEAN Filed April 20, 1931 v2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NQMW on S Donald 1?.fl'nowlzlcn,"

Patented Nov. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DONALD B. KNOWLTON,OF BARTLESVILLE, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOB '1O PHILLIPS PETROLEUM COMPANY, OFBARTLESVILLE, OKLAHOMA, A CORPORATION 01 DELA- WARE FLOW HEAD WITHADJUSTABLE FLOW BEAN Application filed April 20,

' of which depended on the use of an expansion chamber at the top of thecasing to retard the velocities and receive the shock of the slugs ofmud and rock when the well is flowing. Considerable difiiculty wasexperienced from these expansion heads, cutting out when the directionof flow was diverted at a right angle into the separator. I discoveredthat the turbulence resulting from the expansion is the basic cause ofthe cutting, and I have invented a flow head having no expansion chamberbut a stream line effect with no offsets liable to start a swirling motion. This improved flow head eliminates the disadvantages mentioned.

This flow head will now be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the upper portion ofa well with my improved flow head attached to the upper end of thecasmg.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the improvedequipment.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal diametrical section of a hydraulic nippleforming part of my apparatus, and equipped with a modified choke collar.

Referring to the drawings, 4 designates an ordinary derrick platformhaving the usual opening 5 through which the oil well casing 6 projects.A hollow cruciform fitting 7 has a depending hollow boss 8 which isthreaded to the upper end of the casing as shown at 9. An upwardlyextending hollow boss 10 of mi. Serial No. 531,561.

the fitting is threaded to a hydraulic bull plug 11 which supports ashock absorbing insert or filler 12 made of any suitable material, suchas Wood.

One of the lateral nipples 13 of the fitting has internal and externalthreads, and a swage or flared tubular member 14 is-connected to thisnipple by a coupling 15 which engages the external threads of thenipple. The outer or enlarged end of the swage is joined to a flow lineconduit 16 by means of a pressure packing coupling 17.

A hydraulic nipple 18 has a threaded connection with the internalthreads of the nipple 13, and the hydraulic nipple projects through theswage and terminates in the flow line 16 at 'a point beyond the coupling17.

The hydraulic nipple has an internal frusto-conical surface 19 whichengages the complementary surface of a replaceable choke collar 20, theinner surface of which is of venturi shape.

A needlevalve head 21 cooperates with the choke collar and is rigidlysupported by a stem 22 which has threads screwed into a stationary nut23 that also acts as a packing gland for packing 24: positioned within asleeve 25 for preventing flow along the stem. The sleeve is screwed intoanother lateral nipple 26 of the fitting, as shown at 27, and bolts 28or the like are employed for forcing the nut toward the sleeve.

In order that the needle valve head may readily be replaced when worn,the stem 22 is provided with a fixed disk 22a from which projects athreaded shank 22?) which screws into a cavity in the head 21. For thepurpose of preventing the head from accidentally unscrewing, a lockscrew 220 extends from the disk into the head as shown.

An operating handle or wheel 29 is rigidly secured to the outer end ofthe stem.

In order to make the right angle turn from the casing into theseparator, (not shown), and to eliminate cutting, the hollow bull plug11 is arranged directly above the casing, and as the insert 12 does notentirely leave the bull plug, sand may pack into the chamber 30 so thatI can obtain a sand against sand action.

I'he re laceable choke 20 with a small taper is p aced in the hydraulicni ple, and in order to cut down the velocity 0 the fluid before itenters the separator, the flowline 16 is preferably of 12% inchdiameter, and I have found that a conduit of this size makes aneffective expansion chamber for the fluid as it leaves the choke. UntilI devised this construction, great difliculty was experienced in cuttingout the expansion chambers that were used.

The re laceable choke collar 20 illustrated in Fig. 2 as been found tobe entirely satisfactory while the well is flowed with the adjustablebean, but it is advisable to use choke collars of various sizes for badsand wells, in order to hold back pressure and rotect the master gatesand other fittings rom sand cutting. Durin open flows, the stuffing boxwith the stem an needle valve comprising the adjustable features of thebean, was screwed out of the cross and a blank bull plug inserted intothe nipple 26 to take the place of these elements. It was found in verybad sand wells that the expansion of the fluid after leaving the chokecollar, may cause sufficient turbulence to cut away the hydraulic nipple18 and to cut through the 12 inch line 16 to the separator. This troublehas been eliminated by extending the choke collar 20a as shown in Fig.4, to the end of the hydraulic ni ple 1 8a on a 4 inch taper. This is aslip t the same as in Fig. 2, and the longer choke collar is held inexactly the same manner as the short choke, and it can be pulled out inthe same manner. It is intended to have several of these choke collarsof various sizes and to change them from well to well as desired. Afteropen flow tests are made with the longer choke collars of Fi 4, theshort choke of Fig. 2 is again rep aced.

The needle valvehead 21, it will be observed, has a conical surface 31merging into a frusto-conical surface 32, which inturn merges into asimilar surface 33 having a different taper. A head of this shapeproduces a stream line effect, and it is used to regulate the flowthrough the choke. The advantages of this flow head and choke over thoseheretofore known are the following:

1. The well can be flowed wide open through this head by simplyreplacing the hydraulic nipple 18 with a regular seven inch nipple ofordinary casing, and by removing the sleeve 25 and the parts which itcarries. Then a blank bull plug is screwed into the nipple 26, leaving afull seven inch opening through the cross or fitting 7.

2. The sand cutting action is reduced to a minimum because of the streamline flow, allowin no expansion. The right angle turn into t e separatoris made possible by the mass of sand forming in the chamber 30 of thebull plu 3. The ve ocities are retarded before the fluid enters theseparator, due to the fact that the use of the swage 14 allows a largerconduit 16 to receive the fluid from the fitting 7, and the joints 15and 17 are protected, due to the fact that the hydraulic nipple 18projects beyond the coupling 17.

4. To change from the open flow to adjustable choke feature, no changein lines to the separator or so-called Christmas Tree is necessary. Theblank bull plug heretofore mentioned, is removed from the nipple 26,and. the stuffing box assembly with the nipple valve, is screwed intothecross tee 7. The flow through different sized heads can be carried onand the most desirable area of opening found to meet the articularconditions desired. The stufling' ox assembly can then be moved toanother well, and the removable choke 20 can be replaced by a choke withan opening the size found most desirable.

In order to meet the particular conditions found in the Oklahoma Cityfield, a flow head and adjustable bean of this character has beenfoundfar superior to the known equipment. In that field, it is necessary toflow the well wide open to obtain the maximum potential, and at the sametime, it is essential to protect the equipment from sand cutting Whilethe Well is flowing. During the ninety day period following thispotential, it is important to find the proper size bean to give the bestgas-oil ratio. At the end of this ninety-day period, the potential canagain be taken.-

I have found through actual experience that the only cutting that takesplace in this device is on the needle valve head 21, and the replaceablechoke 20. In two wells, each of which produced over 50,000 barrelsthrough such chokes, very little cutting occurred. On one, the well wasflowed several times through a two inch opening. The

point of the needle was cut, and the replaceable seat 20 only slightly.This same well,

when wide open, cut and materially damaged the cross 7 in four hours.

The replaceable seat or choke 20 can be removed by a cup puller bysimply unscrewing the stufling box assemblage from the cross, as it fitsinto the nipple 18 by means of a ground joint with a small taper.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be observed that the head of the bull plugis adapted to be connected by the usual wire lines 34 to the derricklegs (not shown). Also, a clamp bar 35 fits on the top of the bull plug,and is held down by tie rods 36 which extend to the usualv lower clamp(not shown).

a in the claims:

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: y

1. In combination, a vertical well casing, a cruciform flow head securedto the upper end of the same, said flow head having a verticalpassageway therein coaxial with the casing, means detachably secured tothe flow head and closing the upper end of said passageway, said flowhead having a lateral outlet port, a horizontal flow pipe connected tothe head for receiving fluid discharged through said outlet port, acollar removably arranged at one side of said vertical passageway andcooperating with said port for restricting the flow of fluid from saidpassageway into said flow pipe, the latter being of larger internaldiameter than said passageway or the internal diameter of the collar,and a horizontally movable tapered valve head movable into and out ofthe collar for restricting the flow of fluid from said passageway tosaid flow pipe.

2. In combination, a vertical well casing, a cruciform flow head securedto the upper end of the same, said flow head having a verticalpassageway therein coaxial with the casing, means detachably secured tothe flow head and closing the upper end of said passageway, said flowhead having a lateral outlet port, a horizontal flow, pipe connected tothe head for receiving fluid discharged through said outlet port, acollar arranged at one side of said vertical passageway and cooperatingwith said port for restricting the flow of fluid from said passagewayinto said flow pipe. the latter being of larger internal diameter thansaid passageway or the internal diameter of the collar, a horizontal- 1ymovable tapered valve head movable into and out of the collar forrestricting the flow of fluid from said passageway to said flow .pipe,the flow head having a second lateral port arranged at'the opposite sideof said passageway, a removable plug closing the last mentioned port,and operating means for the valve head carried by the last mentionedplug.

3. In combination, a vertical well casing, a. cruciform flow headsecured to the upper end of the same, said flow head having a verticalpassageway therein coaxial with the casing, means detachably secured tothe flow head and closing the upper end of said passageway, said flowhead having a lateral outlet port, a horizontal flow pipe connected tothe head for receiving fluid discharged through said outlet port, acollar arranged at one side of said vertical passageway and cooperatinwith said port for restricting the flow o? fluid from said passagewayinto said flow pipe, the latter being 0 larger internal diameter thansaid passageway or the internal diameter of the collar, a horizontallymovable tapered valve head cooperating with the collar for restrictingthe flow of fluid from said passageway to said flow pipe, the flow headhaving a second lateral port arranged at the opposite side of saidpassageway, a removable plug closing the last mentioned port. andoperating means for the valve head carried by the last mentioned plug,the external diameter of the collar being less than the diameter of thelast mentioned port, whereby when the last mentioned plugis removed, thecollar may also be removed.

4. The combination with a well casing, of a flow head secured to thesame and provided with a plurality of lateral oppositely disposed ports,one of said ports being an outlet for the flow head, a hydraulic nippleextending into the outlet-one of said ports, a choke collar removablyarranged in the nipple, and a horizontally movable tapered needle valvecooperating with said collar to restrict the flow of fluid from the headthrough said collar.

5. The combination with a well casing, of a flow head secured to theupper end of the same and provided with a plurality of lateraloppositely disposed ports, one of said ports being an outlet for theflow head, a hydraulic nipple arranged in its entirety at one side ofsaid head for receiving fluid flowing through the outlet one of saidports, a horizontal flow pipe of larger diameter than the nipple andconnected to the same side of said head, the nipple being coaxial withand terminating within said pipe, a removable choke collar cooperatingwith the nipple, and a horizontally movable tapered valve head movableinto and out of said collar to restrict the flow of fluid from the headto the flow pipe.

6. In equipment of the kind described, a well casing, a fitting securedto the upper end of said casing and provided with oppositely disposedlateral nipples, a hydraulic nipple detachably secured to one of thenipples of the fitting, a flared tubular member detachably connected tothe same nipple of the fitting, a flow pipe of larg'er'diameter than thehydraulic nipple, a coupling connecting the flow pipe to said member,and a horizontally movable tapered valve head for controlling the flowof fluid from the fitting into the. hydraulic nipple.

7. In equipment of the kind described, a well casing, a fitting securedto the upper end of said casing and provided with oppositely disposedlateral nipples, a hydraulic nipple detachably secured to one of thenipples of the fitting and arranged in its entirety at one side of thefitting, a flared tubular member detachably connected to the same nippleof the .fitting, a flow pipe of larger diameter than the hydraulicnipple, a couplin detachably secured to one of the nipples of thefitting and arranged in its entirety at one side of the fitting, aflared tubular member detachably connected to the same nipple of thefitting, a flow pipe of larger diameter than the hydraulic nipple, acoupling connecting the flow pipe to said member, and means forcontrolling the flow of fluid from the fitting into the hydraulicnipple," the last mentioned means including a removable choke collar anda valve head movable into and out of said collar.

9. In equipment of the kind described, a well casing, a fitting securedto the upper end of said casing and provided with oppositely disposedlateral nipples, a tubular flow restricting member detachably secured toone of the nipples of the fitting, a flow pipe of larger diameter thansaid tubular member operatively connected to the last mentioned nippleof the fitting, and means for controlling the flow of fluid from thefitting into said tubular member, the last -mentioned means including asleeve plug detachably connected to the other nipple of the fitting, a

horizontal valve stem supported by the sleeve,

' and a substantially conical valve head carried by the stem and movableinto and out of said member.

10. The combination with a well casing, of a flow head secured to theupper end of the same and provided with a lateral port, a hydraulicnipple for receiving fluid flowing through said port, a flow pipe oflarger diameter than the nipple connected to said head, the nipple beingcoaxial with and terminating within said pipe, a choke collar ofsubstantially the same length as the nipple arranged within the latter,and a horizontally movable tapered valve head movable into and out ofsaid collar.

11. In equipment of the kind described, a well pipe, a fitting securedto the upper end of said pipe and provided with oppositely disposedlateral ports, a vertical passageway in positioned between said ports,a-

the fittin tubular ow restricting member detachably secured to thefitting, cooperating with one of said ports to restrict. outlet flowtherethrou h and removable through the other one 0% said ports, saidflow restricting ,mem-

her being sitioned in its entirel at one slde of sai verticalpassageway, a ow ipe connected to the fitting and into which u1d' fromthe fitting flows through said'restrictmg member, and means forcontrollmg the flow of fluid from the fitting into said tubular member,the last mentioned means including a sleeve plug detachably connected tothe fitting, a horizontal valve stem su ported by the sleeve, and asubstantial y conical valve head carried by the stem and movable intoand out of said member.

12. In equi ment of the kind described, a well pipe, a tting secured tothe upper end of said pipe and provided with oppositely disposed lateralports, a vertical passageway in the fitting positioned betwen saidports, a tubular flow restricting member detachably secured to thefitting, cooperatin with one of said ports to restrict outlet owtherethrough and removable through the other one of said ports, saidflow restricting member being positioned in its entirety at one side ofsaid vertical passageway, a flow ipe connected to the fitting and intowhich uid from the fitting flows through said restricting member, meansfor controlling the flow of fluid from the fitting into said tubularmember, the last mentioned means includin a sleeve plug detachablyconnected to the tting, a horizontal valve stem supported by the sleeve,and a substantially conical valve head carried by the stem and movableinto and out of said member, said tubular flow restricting member havinga frusto-conical external surface, and a complimentary surfacefunctioning as a seat for the flow restricting member.

In testimony whereof, I hereto afiix my signature. I

DONALD R. KNOWLTON.

